Affordable devices for creating a mesh network
Affordable devices for creating a mesh network
I’m searching for a router that offers distinct 2.4GHz and 5GHz antennas, works with OpenWrt, and fits within a budget of around $35. It should support a large mesh network—using the 5GHz for backbone devices like 30-degree sectoral antennas and the 2.4GHz for phones and other gadgets. You’re planning roughly 20 units, depending on performance needs. I’m looking for something affordable without needing expensive dipsplitters or premium gear. Any options come to mind?
I need about 2 square kilometers of land for Wi-Fi coverage, as there’s no 4G LTE signal. It’s essentially a radio dead zone. I already have solid SNR with existing gear, so it should work with minimal equipment. Some cameras will be installed, which is fine, but adding a USB port on the router isn’t essential.
I believe managing 2 square kilometers will be quite challenging. It might be feasible to extend Wi-Fi in one direction, but covering such a large area with a mesh network would require significant effort—likely needing physical connections for reliable backhaul.
We can achieve backhaul with directional antennas. I’m already doing it with Ubiquiti equipment, but expanding that way is too expensive, and each site’s power allowance doubles—making things significantly worse.
You're asking about seamless roaming with 802.11r on the TP-Link Archer C7 v2. It's a bit of a technical question—confirming compatibility and understanding its performance in real-world conditions. Regarding environmental protection, you'll need to ensure proper enclosure or shielding for the routers to prevent damage from moisture or dust.
the fcc states they employ all three antennas in diversity at 5ghz, meaning they’re shared unless an internal 2.4ghz antenna is present. I also noticed wavlink products appear to mark distinct 2.4ghz and 5ghz ports, though I’m not certain about the details and there aren’t any fcc guidelines for their equipment. It seems costly and may not work well with openwrt.
I located the WL-WN531A3 which appears to feature two 5GHz antennas in MIMO and two 2.4GHz antennas in MIMO. They don’t seem to be easily taken out without a pry bar, but once removed I can purchase the correct cables to connect the PCB to an SMA connector. That leaves me with a MediaKEK MT7612E offering a staggering 12dBm output. By pairing it with a reasonably affordable 17dBi 90-degree sector antenna, I could achieve a total EIRP of around 29dBm—about 750mW. Notably, the 2.4GHz unit is a MT7628AN delivering 24dBm, so using a 13dBi omni antenna would push the EIRP to 37dBm, which is technically over the limit but manageable. I’m considering it, as it’s roughly $250 per radio, and I’ll likely need more cost-effective antennas beyond what UBeauti offers. The 5GHz chip’s output power is impressive, though.
I see, you were thinking about another model with four antennas, maybe I missed it because I had a V2 in mind.
I got the router yesterday and it performed even better than I thought. It satisfies all my needs and works with 5V power. Right away I disconnected the main power cable and swapped it for a USB-A end. It’s been running smoothly for nearly 20 hours as a dual-range extender, using about 7700mAh. I can power it from a 20,000mAh battery and a compact solar USB charger, saving a lot on electricity costs. I haven’t tested a USB camera yet, but it supports up to 500mAh at the USB port—plenty for a camera, though it uses double the power. Further testing is required there. The PCB size is impressively small, similar to an iPhone 5. If needed, it can be halved lengthwise and I might skip certain RJ45 ports. It runs on OpenWrt with an 8MB ROM, leaving around 1.8MB free for additional features if desired. I just need to order another ten units now and figure out how to manage the 5.8GHz MIMO antennas and power banks. The price per node has dropped to about $250 USD, which is an incredible deal.